12
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT.
FEBRUARY 5, 1903.
THE LEGISLATURE
Adjourned to Febrnarj 9-Rnne Com
mute Working on New Meiiure-
CorDorations Busy
. On Saturday (January 31) the leg-
Islature adjourned to February 9, in
i order to give the joint committee on
revenue and taxation an opportunity
to draft a bill. This week the commit
tee has been busy and so have the
corporations!
The two open meetings of the com-
mittee, Wednesday and Thursday
night of last week, were curiously
enough devoted almost entirely to a
discussion of one point whether the
city tax commissioner in Omaha
should be permitted to assess the
railroads for municipal taxation, or
whether the law should stand as it
, is, permitting the tax commissioner
to assess all property except what
the stat, board has assessed.
In behalf of his railroad. John N.
Baldwin, Nebraska's non-resident
boss, instructed his members of the
committee which seemingly includes
about the whole push, except Loomis
(fusionist) of Dodge regarding the
"distribution" theory; and J. II. Mc
intosh, in behalf of the Omaha Real
Estate Exchange, made a masterly
appeal for local self-government. Of
course, Baldwin will win.
The Independent is still of the opin-
om The 467 miles of the Union Pa
cific pay city taxes on but a com
paratively few miles; but state and
county taxes are "distributed" accord
ing to the mileage theory.
The law should be so amended that
all cities and villages not Omaha
alone should, for municipal purposes,
be allowed to assess the railroad
property within their jurisdictions
without regard to any other portion
of the road outside, because a large
part of the burden of municipal taxa
tion is for fire and police protection,
and other services of that nature,
which apply to only that portion of
the property lying within the jurisdiction.
ion that no satisfactory solution of
the problem will be had until the state
board is deprived of its power to as
sess railroad property. It should be
empowered to secure all the necessary
information which will enable it to
arrive at the fair cash value of all
railroad, telegraph, telephone, express,
sleeping car, dining car, and freight
dispatch company property and fran
chises within the state. The mileage
method of dividing up this valuation
among the various counties, works all
right with most of these kinds of
property, although some modification
perhaps ought to be made in the case
of telephone property. Then the
board should certify this fair cash
value to the county authorities.
When the county board sits as a
board of equalization, it should then
assess the railroad and other such
property in accordance with the stand
ard of valuation employed in assess
ing other property. The state board's
certificate of "fair cash value" would
simply be a guide for the county
board.
In determining the levy for state
taxes, the state board would have a
substantial guide as to the standard of
assessed valuation employed in the
various counties, and the levy could
be made hign or low in accordance
with the standard used, the chief aim
being to require the same amount of
state taxes to be paid on each $100 of
"fair cash value" ho matter in what
county it may be located. If a $50,000
mile of road in one county should be
assessed by the county board at $10,
000, that would be prima facie evi
dence to the state board that all prop
erty in that county was assessed at 20
per cent (or 1-5) of its fair cash value.
If another mile of that road in an
other county should be assessed at
$15,000, it would be evidence that all
property was assessed at 30 per cent of
fair cash value. And so on for all
the counties having some railroad
i mileage which would include all but
, five counties.
Now, a levy of 6 mills on the first
county and 4 on the second would
equalize the state taxes. Each mile of
road would pay $00 state taxes. Each
. hundred dollars of "fair cash value"
in either county would pay 12 cents
. state taxes.
For municipal purposes the munic
ipal assessor should be allowed to as
sess railroad property within his ju-
1 risdiction without regard to the mile
age theory. State government covens
; the entire state, and, consequently,
every foot of railroad within the state;
hence, for state purposes, if it were
possible to do so, the entire mileage
: of any given railroad ought to be
taxed as a unit; bmt as the constitu-
tion seems to prevent that, state taxes
; must be levied upon the returns made
from the various counties, and the di
vision between the counties can best
be made on the mileage theory. Be
sides, this is amply sustained by the
highest courts in the land. County
government covers every foot of the
railroad within the county, and as
state and countv taxation are so bound
together, there is no escape from the
mileage plan. Collectively the various
county governments cover every foot
of railroad within the state.
But this is not true of municipal
government. It covers a few miles of
Jine in one city; then there are a
number of miles running through ter
ritory where no municipal government
obtains; then the next city is reached
and there is more municipal govern
ment; then another portion without,
until another city is reached; and so
Frank A. Harrison, the Union Pa
cific's "all-round" handy man, and
understudy to John N. Baldwin, has
been busying himself sending out edi
torials to country editors trying to
befog the public as to the real merits
of this municipal taxation fight. Mon
day's Omaha Bee publishes the corre
spondence between Harrison and
George L. Nelson, editor of the Hart
ineton Herald (rep.) a rather amus
ing incident in the history of the new
bulletins being "issued under author
ity of the railroads of Nebraska."
Harrison offered to "send check" to
pay for inserting his "editorial,' which
was a shrewd attempt to scare the
country school districts by making
them think every additional dollar of
Omaha taxes levied would come off
them. Nelson was not so green as
Harrison had a right to suppose, and
handed him an "open letter" in which
he said:
"In conclusion, dear Frank, permit
me to say you are in mighty small
business when you undertake to act
as co-between in buying up the in
fluence of the country press in behalf
of the railroads of this state, and per
mit me to exhort you to turn from the
slimy path of political and corporate
corruption before it is eternally too
late."
Some days ago the revenue commit
tee allowed it to be understood that
they expected to write an entire new
measure, using the present law as a
basis. But Wednesday the reporters
discovered that the committee has
gone bade to the Kansas "abortion"
for their basis. This, as it seems to
The Independent, is simply part of
the prearranged plan to have no rev
enue legislation. The Kansas bill
will not pass in Kansas and it will
not pass in Nebraska, A few amend
ments to the present revenue law
would suffice but the legislature will
not venture enacting an out and out
new law drafted on a week's notice
County assessment of the railroads,
municipal assessment of the railroads
for municipal purposes, removal of
the nonsensical 5-mill limit for gen
eral fund purposes, a more accurate
method of equalizing state taxes by
varying the rate of levy, and better
methods of collecting taxes, will cure
the patent defects; and all these can
be had by making a few amendments.
for damage to my crops by hail. I
want to eay further that this is the
third year since I have bought a pol
icy in your company. I have had two
losses and I must say that they have
been promptly and satisfactorily ad
justed and paid. I believe the company
deserves the support of every farmer
and grain grower, and I shall do all I
can to extend the usefulness of the as
sociation. Wishing you success in all
your efforts, 1 remain, respectfully,
"C. H. ADAMS."
"Carlisle, Neb., Nov. 23, 1902. Mr.
John F. Zimmer, Sec'y. Dear Sir:
Replying to yours will say, was very
glad to get the $105, which I was not
looking for until "next month. I shall
do all I can to help the order along.
This was the first time I had ever in
sured. Some of my neighlwrs laughed
at me, and said I would never get any
thing for my loss. The same ones
who laughed at me are going to in
sure next year. I shall do all in my
power to keep things booming. Yours
truly, SAMUEL GILBERT."
"Elgin, Neb., Nov. 30, 1902. Home
Office "of the United Mutual Hail Ins.
Ass'n Dear Sirs: I received check as
pavment in full for my loss by hail to
my crops for the present season.
Would say that I am well pleased wit,
the association and its promptness
hnth in nriinsi ments and payments of
claims. Had I not insured I could
not have met my obligations. As it
is, I can pay every dollar I owe. For
this I am much obliged to tne asso
ciation, and remain, respectfully yours,
"B. F. HKN KIT.
ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY THE
UNITED MUTUAL.
Insurance carried at actual cost.
Full control is in the hands of the
members, each member being entitled
to vote at the annual meeting of the
association.
There is but one assessment each
year, and that only for such sum as
is necessary to pay losses and in no
case to exceed the amount specified on
each member's contract.
All policies are written for five
years, thus making a decided reduc
tion in expenses from year to year,
the one policy fee standing good un
til the expiration of that time.
The United Mutual has paid $63,
606.70 more for losses than has been
paid by all other companies combined
in the state during the past four
years.
GOOD WORDS FROM GOOD
PEOPLE.
HIGHLY COMMENDATORY AUTO
GRAPH LETTTRS TO THE ,
NUMBER OF 200 HAVE
BEEN RECEIVED BY :
THE BANKERSjESERVE LIFE
From the Best Bankers, Business Men
and Professional Men in Nebras
ka Since January 1, 1903.
Mr. Chas. Spahr in his book "The
Present Distribution of Wealth in the
United States," says that for $4,650,
000,000 shares (railroad stock), now in
existence the original investors cer
tainly paid no more than $4,650,000,
or 10 per cent of their face value, and
probably less, hence shares reputed
to return about two per cent per an
num, are really returning about 18
per cent on- the actual investment
Pueblo Courier.
The Independent makes this guess:
That by the first of April the only im
portant revenue legislation effected
will be the removal of the 5-mill limit.
Reliable Hail Insurance Can be Pro
cured.
Notwithstanding the fact that sev
eral hail insurance companies have in
the past four years ceased doing busi
ness with practically nothing paid for
losses, there is at least one company
doing business in this state that can
be relied upon. The United Mutual
Hail Insurance Association, of Lin
coln. Neb., was incorporated January
4, 1899. " Since that time it has paid
to 1,949 policy holders the enormous
sum of $147,326.70 in losses. It has
paid a loss of $1,577 on one policy. It
would seem from the above figures
that this company is perfectly re
liable, and further that this class of
risk is one for which every one rais
ing crops should have protection. This
company has divided the state into
two districts, the division being be
tween ranges eight and nine west of
the sixth principal meridian. The av
erage cost in the eastern part of the
state the past three years has been
2 3-4 per cent upon the amount in
sured, while the western part has cost
4 per cent. In the eastern district the
limit of assessment is 3 1-2 per cent,
and is not called for until October 1.
while in the western it Is 4 per cent,
and must be paid May 15, or before the
risk is assumed by the company.
The following are a few of the hun
dreds of letters received from members
who have had losses. They speak for
themselves.
Seward. Neb., Nov. 22. 1902. United
Mutual Hail Ins. Ass'n. Lincoln. Neh
Sirs: Your favor of Novpmbpr 2i)
to hand. Permit me to thank you for
your prompt settlement ot my claim
Select Good Seed
It is barely possible that farmers do
not pay the amount of attention to se
lecting seeds for planting that they
ought to. It is an evidence of good
farmina: that, a large number ot larm-
ers, and always the successful ones,
are paving strict attention to the kind
of seeds they plant, especially that of
seed corn. This year corn grown on
the bottom lands as a rule will not
erow and the very poor season of last
year makes good seed corn a matter of
more than usual interest as only corn
crown under most favorable circum
stances and by thoroughly experienced
seed men will grow. One ot the most
conscientious seed firms in this whole
western country and in fact in the
United States, is Van Sant & Sons of
Farrasut. la., whose advertisements
are running in this paper. Mr. Van
Sant says that he would rather not
have a single sale during the year 1903
than to make one mistake and have
one farmer disappointed in the seed
corn bought of him. This is the char
acter of a man who has a conscience
and when the seed corn season is over
he has a feeling of relief as the re
sponsibility he feels of supplying only
good seeds to his customers has been
lifted off his shoulders. Any one deal
ing with a man of this character, es
pecially when he has had thirty years
of actual experience in growing seed
corn, will not regret it. Another thing,
all of the qualities which he attributes
to his corn will be found in the grow
ing crop next year. A careful reading
of his advertisements will pay any
farmer and a postal card sent to W.
W. Van ant & Sons, Farragut, la.,
will receive by return mail samples
of his seed corn, free of charge, and a
neat pamphlet telling the qualities of
his corn and other items of interest
to corn raisers. Write them today.
The boy who is tied to his mother's
apron-strings may not go as far as the
boy who is not, but he usually lands
. safely.
Nothing succeeds like success. This
trite saying is amply exemplified by
the commendatory letters voluntarily;
handed the Bankers Reserve Life As
sociation since the publication of the
annual report of the president and the
financial statement of 1902. The man
agement of this aggressive home com
pany is justified in the pride shown
over these honest tributes of honor
able citizens.
THE ADVISORY BOARD
of the Bankers Reserve Life is some
thing more than a feature of adver
tising. The high-class men who con
stitute that important auxiliary force
of the company's corps of agents are
not content with mere approval of the
methods and plans of the company.
They cheerfully render the company
such personal assistance as is oppor
tune and they are so well pleased with
their company that they cheerfuly go
on record in black and white as con
sistent, efficient, persistent friends of
THE BANKERS RESERVE LIFE.
Probably no recent statement from
an experienced life insurance executive
officer has awakened more interest or
brought to its author more words of
encouragement than the annual re
port of the president published in this
newspaper last week. Men of intelli
gence and influence in all walks of
life have read the somewhat lengthy
discussion of home life insurance with
an unusual interest.
B. H. ROBISON, PRESIDENT
of the Bankers Reserve Life Associa
tion, made a ten-stroke in that report.
Already the quick intelligence of the
west has begun to respond to its sen
timents and the January record of the
field force is a record breaker for new
business. Words of commendation
please, but actual ducats are a far
more conclusive proof of the .indorse
ment of the people. The annual report
and financial statement will be mailed
to any applicant Send for a copy.
NEW TERRITORY TO BE ORGANIZED.
President Robison has positions for
several first-class special and general
agents in Nebraska and other states
to be opened, with choice of territory
on very liberal terms. Persons desir
ing an opportunity to better their po
sitions will find it of advantage to ne
gotiate with him. Correspondence in
vited. BANKERS RESERVE LIFE,
OMAHA.
isms
IDAHO
IRRIGATED
LANDS.
Good climate, healthy location,
rich and productive lands, abun
dant water from the famous
Snake River, never failing sup
ply; good crops always assured;
you govern your own moisture;
no cyclones; no hail storms; no
rains to prevent gathering of
crops; more sunshine in the
year than any other state in
the union. Land with good wa
ter rights for sale at from $10
to $15 per acre; one-third cash
balance in six annual payment
at 7 per cent interest. Address,
M, PATRIE,
Market Lake,
Idaho,
.sz
T7
